22-0 Fourth Quarter Run Leads Jazz Over Timberwolves
Dec 31, 2021, 9:29 PM
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz used a stunning 22-0 run in the fourth quarter to blowout a shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves roster 120-108.
Minnesota was without All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell while the Jazz were without Mike Conley and Joe Ingles in the win.
Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 39 points for the Jazz while Bojan Bogdanovic added 24 points and 12 rebounds for just the second double-double of his career.
First Quarter
Trent Forrest got the start in place of Mike Conley and did an admirable job in the opening five. His defense is an asset and he read the floor well finding open teammates in transition and starting the blender.
The Jazz have struggled without Conley to open games, and certainly, the offensive didn’t have its normal flair, but a lot of that was the Timberwolves making the game ugly by fouling ad nauseam.
Jazz Guard Donovan Mitchell Has McDaniels On Skates In First Quarter https://t.co/xCNwx3a3Fn
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 1, 2022
Outside of six Jazz turnovers in the first quarter which led to six Timberwolves points, the Jazz played a strong quarter knocking down 7-14 from the floor and 4-7 from three.
After one, the Jazz led the Timberwolves 29-22.
Second Quarter
The Jazz built their lead to double-digits early in the second quarter but were unable to hold onto it.
Anthony Edwards and Malik Beasley both found a shooting rhythm in the quarter knocking down five first half threes and combining for 28 points.
🕷🕷🕷#NBAAllStar | @spidadmitchell pic.twitter.com/gx8gwqOMPZ
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 1, 2022
The Jazz meanwhile got 19 first half points from Mitchell on 4-6 shooting from downtown.
At the break, the Jazz led the Timberwolves 63-50.
Third Quarter
The Jazz opened the half very shorthanded after losing Hassan Whiteside to a blow to the head in the first half.
That forced Rudy Gay to absorb his minutes at the backup five despite playing well in the first half, recording 12 points and two rebounds in the opening two quarters.
A U T O M A T I C@theantedwards_ #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/vjYcHK404h
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 1, 2022
The Timberwolves abused the Jazz lack of depth and size in the quarter erasing the Jazz 13 point lead and outscoring them 37-23 in the third.
After three, the Jazz trailed the Timberwolves 87-86.
Fourth Quarter
The Timberwolves looked like they were in a position to steal this game from the Jazz after building a 92-91 lead with 10:47 left to play.
However, the Jazz answered with a stunning 22-0 run to take a 113-92 lead and put the game away.
The Jazz were led by Mitchell who scored 39 points while the Timberwolves got 48 from Edwards and Beasley in the loss.
With the win, the Jazz moved to six straight victories and have won 14 of their last 16 games.
